1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, generally, to an overhead-storage system for the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle and, more specifically, to such an overhead-storage system that is rotatably supported relative to the headliner of the vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Some passenger vehicles include overhead-storage systems, or overhead consoles, that are attached to the roof of the vehicle. Typically, a console is centrally located between the lateral edges of the headliner of the roof and extends for a portion of the longitudinal axis of the roof from the forward end of the interior of the passenger compartment toward the rear of the vehicle. Generally, the console is fixedly supported relative to the headliner and includes a plastic housing that extends along the length of the console. Usually, a single console is designed for the platform of a particular vehicle due to differences in shapes and sizes of the headliners and the panels of the roofs. The console can be equipped with various convenience features, including displays, controls, and compartments that are accessible to occupants of the vehicle. More specifically, these convenience features may include controls for a climate-control system, driver-information-display screens, light modules, small storage compartments, and the like.
Overhead consoles are manufactured in various lengths, depending upon the features included in the console and type of vehicle. For example, a console having just light modules or a driver-information-display screen may be designed for use primarily by the driver and front-seat passenger of the vehicle and, therefore, have only a relatively short length. Other types of consoles have more convenience features, such as multiple storage compartments and controls for various systems of the vehicle that are designed to be accessed by other passengers. Thus, these consoles can extend into the rear portion of the passenger compartment relatively remote from the position of the front passengers. In these cases, many of the controls and other convenience features are not easily accessible to the front passengers. In addition, certain convenience features that may be accessible to passengers seated on one side of the centerline of the passenger compartment are not as easily accessible to passengers seated on the opposite side of the centerline. Accordingly, in certain circumstances, passengers may feel the need to rise from their seats to access a convenience feature located on a remote portion of a console.
While overhead consoles known in the related art provide many convenience features that are in demand by consumers, the physical size of the passenger compartment of some vehicles, for example, vans and sport-utility vehicles (SUVs), makes the convenience features difficult to access by each passenger. Accordingly, there remains a need in the related art for an overhead console that provides improved access to the convenience features presented by the console. Furthermore, there is a need in the related art for an overhead console that improves the safety associated with providing access to the convenience features presented by the console.
The present invention overcomes the disadvantages in the related art in an overhead-storage system for the interior of a motor vehicle having a headliner and defining a passenger compartment that includes a housing having at least one convenience feature supported in the housing and adapted for use by a passenger of the vehicle. The housing is operatively supported for rotational movement relative to the headliner and about a rotational axis of the housing such that the at least one convenience feature may be selectively moved angularly relative to the rotational axis into close proximity of the passenger.
The overhead-storage system of the present invention provides improved access to the convenience features presented by the system relative to overhead-storage systems of the related art. Furthermore, the overhead-storage system of the present invention improves the safety associated with providing access to the convenience features presented by the system relative to overhead-storage systems of the related art.